Wives key asset to candidates

WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. -- In some ways Roxanne Wilson feels twice the anxiety of a candidate’s spouse.

“Every time you turn on the TV, all these negative ads. And it can just rip somebody,” she said, shivering in the fresh morning air outside the Springdale Elementary School voting precinct.

“I’ve got it coming and going for both my husband and my son. So it’s been rough, but today it’s all over.”

Wilson is married to Republican Rep. Joe Wilson, who is running for reelection to the 2nd Congressional District against Democrat Rob Miller. She is also the mother of Alan Wilson, the Republican nominee for attorney general, who is running in an open-seat election against Democrat Matthew Richardson.

On Tuesday morning Wilson’s campaign communications director Brian DeRoy said the plan was for Wilson to keep post at the school precinct - her traditional Election Day duty.

“It’s not like working at the polls. It’s more like a family reunion,” she said, in between greetings to community members.

On Tuesday, Miller’s wife Shane was traveling with her husband and young son from Beaufort to Columbia, stopping in every county on the way there and meeting with residents, said Patrick Norton, communications director for Miller’s campaign.

Candidates’ wives have typically served to humanize their husbands and perform unofficial public relations duties. They get to be themselves, or a slightly bubblier version of themselves, adding a warmer, less scripted voice next to the talking points offered by their spouse.

“Did you know that Rob only drinks orange soda?” she wrote, linking to a photo album with captions of trivia, much having to do with the Marine Corps combat veteran’s military service.

“He’s colorblind. He only seems to see primary colors,” reads one.

In another frame, she says of Miller: “Even though he’s in a suit now, he still puts his shoes on before his pants. It’s a Marine Corps thing!”

The wives also sometimes double as campaign managers, usually but not always, for lower-profile races.

Blanche Weathers, wife of Republican state Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers, was in charge of providing photographs and setting up an interview with a reporter, as was Julie Dalen, wife of Constitution Party candidate John Dalen, a contender for the 3rd Congressional District.

"We hope you will remind all your friends to vote 'down the ballot and help Hugh win and win big!!!" blogged Blanche Weathers.